Canopy-styled tents have multiple legs, a roof, and sometimes side walls. They have been used for hundreds of years as shelter; however, they are limited in providing comfort and protection for the individual user from the outdoor elements such as extreme temperatures or poor lighting. Another problem is that some current products do not free up the user to perform other tasks while enjoying the climate-controlled atmosphere.
For example, battery-powered hand-held fans are currently available for purchase. Some of the hand-held fans are inexpensive and safe, yet they do not easily solve this problem.
There are currently free standing fans such as a box-styled fan or an industrial fan that can be used with tents; however, they are noisy and cumbersome to deal with. These fans also are level with the user and do not provide top-down air flow.
Another available option is a pedestal fan. These fans are heavy and hard to transport and get in the way of the user's activities.
There are also attachable tent fans on the market, but they are either small and do not provide adequate air flow or larger in size but too heavy to be installed on smaller canopy-styled tents with thin poles. Although tent companies may be able to set up for large events and use these large tent fans, most of the types of individually-owned canopy-styled tents are small and use thin poles that cannot support the weight of these large attachable fans. These types of fans also, because of their weight and size, cannot be connected to a pole that is not level due to the slope of the ground in which is erected. This limits the use of these types of fans.
Another problem with the above-mentioned fan options is the material in which they are made. The fans use either plastic or metal blades. This makes these fans dangerous in use and non-weather resistant.
The issue of cleaning is also difficult with box and industrial fans. Sometimes, a screwdriver is needed to open the grill of a box or commercial fan to properly clean dust and grime collected during operation. This can be dangerous and the risk of shock exists.
The weight of these attachable fans to the ceiling of a canopy-styled tent makes it risky to attempt attaching.
In addition, most ceiling fan blades are constructed of wood, plastic, or metal and can be very dangerous if a user came into contact with a spinning blade.
All canopy tents are not created alike. There is the issue of height adjustment that must be taken into consideration for proper air circulation and safety. If a ceiling fan was put in a canopy tent, and the like structures, adjustment of fans height would be difficult. These units are stationary once installed and cannot travel from place to place and be quickly set up for use. Attaching a fan or an apparatus to hold it in position beneath a canopy tent is an issue. Lastly, these fans are just that, only a fan. There is no way to interchange the components of any of these fans to provide lighting or heating within the same attachable system. Separate products would have to be purchased.